Safety cracker



June 16, 1931.

H. s. BARN ES SAFETY CRACKER Filed Dec. 6,1930

HAROLD 5. BARNES.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented June 16, 1931 UNHTEE STfiaThl FATENT HAROLD S. BARNES, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY CRAGKEE Application filed December 6. 1930. Serial No. 500,589.

My invention relates to a new and useful safety-cracker for use by children in celebrating Independence Day and other festive occasions.

It has been the practice heretofore, to use fire crackers in which various kinds of gunpowder or other ignitible explosive mixtures of compounds constituted the active principal or detonating element. The disadvantages of fire crackers of this character are too well known and appreciated to be enumerated,'it

a novel safety cracker in which no gunpowder or. other poisonous, inflammable, explosive or otherwise injurious ingredients are used, but which, nevertheless, is capable of producing aloud detonation which is the primary'purpose ofthe conventional type of fire cracker.

I A further object of my invention is to pro- .duce a harmless fire cracker of this general character which, in addition to producing the much desired detonation, willalso provide a vari-colored display simulating the effect produced by the night display type of fire cracker.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a novel safety cracker which can be 0 manufactured and sold at a minimum cost.

A still further object of my inventionis to produce a safety cracker which is complete in and of itself, that is, one which can be set off without the aid of any extraneous devices.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a safety cracker of this general character which can be set off or operated by children of tender years without any aid from '50 their elders, thus relieving the latter from the tedious duty of constant attendance, instruction or help.

To the above ends, my invention consists of a suitable container divided into compartments normally isolated from one another, individually inactive, gas-generating sub-- stances confined in said compartments, the partitions or other means normally isolating said compartments being breakable at will to permit the commingling of said substances for the purpose of generating a large volume of inert gas, the pressure of said gas serving to explode or burst said container with a loud detonation. V

My invention still further consists in using properly selected, normally inert substances, which, when allowed to combine, will produce the necessary amount of gas, but which,

at the same time are. entirely harmless and non-inflammable, whether in the individual or combined state, and the products of which are equally harmless and non-inflammable.

My invention still further consists in placing in one or more of said compartments, any

desired, vari-colored substances which are adapted to be ejected and scattered into the air by the escape of the gas upon the bursting of the container, to produce an attractive after effect or display. xMy invention still further consists of the various novel features of construction and assembly which are hereinafter described and claimed. a

tion, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, f-ormsof my invention which are at present preferred by me since inpractice they give satisfactory and reliable results,

although it is to be understood that my inven 1 tion is not limited to the exact constructions shown, since my invention can be altered in the various features of construction and assembly shown in the drawings without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or-sacrificing any of its advantages; In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 isa view, partly in section and partly in end elevation, of a safety cracker embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

For the purpose of illustrating my invenloo Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing modified form of my invention.

Fig. l is aview similar to Fig. 1 showing further a modified fo m of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another further modified form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmenta y sectional view, on greatly enlarged scale, showing details of construction.

For the purpose of describing the invention, and referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a safety cracker embodying my invention, \alllCil is composed of casing 1, of any desired form or size, which is composed of any suitable material 2 such as strong paper or the like. The inside of the casing is rendered impervious or Water-proofed by the application thereto of a coating 3 of any suitable impervious, and preferably adhesive substance such as asphalt and wax or the like.

The casing or container 2 is reduced at about the center thereof to form the neck or throat 4:, the wall of the casing being retained in this position to form the compartments 5 and 6, the ends of which are closedin a water tight manner by the string or wire 7 or any other fastening device. The adhesive coating 3 on the inside of the walls of the casing 1 serves to insure a watertight closure at the ends of the compartments 5 and 6. V

In order to retain the double compartment formation produced by reducing the container 1 to form the neck 4, and to insure a water tight seal intermediate said compartments, a small quantity of wax or other equivalent substance is poured into one or'both'of the compartments 5 and 6, to form the water tight, intercompartment seal 8.

A normally inactive, or individually inert, and preferably harmless substance such as tartaric acid is placed in one of the compartment-s 5 and a complementary, harmless, and normally inactive and individually inert sub stance such as sodium bicarbonate is placed in the other of said compartments 6. The substances placed in the compartments 5 and 6 are not necessarily liquids or solids, the only requisite being that said substances be harmless, alone or combined, and that they be adapted, when allowed to commingle, to generate a harmless gas which will develop sufiicient pressure to burst the container or casing 1 with a loud detonation. While I have specified tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate as examples of a practical and inexpensive combination, it is to be understood that other suitable substances'can'be used if desired.

For sale, my novel cracker is prepared in any of the forms shown in the drawings, or in any equivalent structure, and when it is desired to operate the same, it is merely necessary to break the seal 8 to permit commingling of the heretofore isolated substances in the compartments 5 and 6 to produce a gas which, when sufficient pressure is developed, will burst the container or casing 1;

In Fig. 8, I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein I use a plug or closure 9 which is provided with an annular external seat or groove 10 and which is adapted to fit within the open end of a compartment 5 or 6. A string, wire or the like 11 is then tied around the outside and is made to seat in the groove 10 to produce a water tight seal.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a further modified form of my invention wherein a cap 12, which fits tightly over the end of a compartment 5 or 5, is used, said cap extending to any desired length along the outer surface of a compartment 5 or 6 and being secured in a water tight manner by any suitable cement.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the manner in which my novel cracker may be adapted to produce a display or ornamental effect, which in the present instance is accomplished by providing an auxiliary pocket 18 formed by spacing the plug 9 from the outer cap 12, in one or both of the compartments 5 and 6, and filling the pocket 13 thus formed with any desired vari colored substance l l such as confietti or the like. i In this form of my invention, when the casing 1 is burst, the vari-colored material 14 is scattered into the air by the force of the escaping gas, thus producing a display or ornamental effect.

Except for the structural features pointed out, the various modifications shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are identical in structure and operation with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

It is thus apparent that my novel safety cracker, in the forms shown or their equivalents, is non-inflammable, and non-explosive, and that it is free of all harmful ingredients. The absence of all forms of missiles which are often the cause of serious bodily injuries further enhances the advantageous character of my invention. It is further apparent that my novel cracker serves the purpose of conventional fire crackers, that it is inexpensive to produce and that it can be operated by children without any annoyance to their elders.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Asafety cracker comprising a casing having compartment-s formed therein, sealing means intermediate said compartments normally to isolate the same from each other, and individually inert substances confined in said compartments, said substances being adapted, when allowed to commingle, to gencrate a gas which will burst said casing.

2. A safety cracker comprising a casing having compartments formed therein, sealing means intermediate said compartments normally to isolate the same from each other,

and harmless, and individually inert substances confined in said compartments, said substances being adapted, When allowed to combine, to generate a harmless gas which will burst saidcasing.

3. A safety cracker comprising a casing having compartments formed therein, sealing means intermediate said compartments normally to isolate the same from each other, harmless and individually inert substances confined in said compartments, said sub stances being adapted, When allowed to commingle, to generate a harmless gas Which Will burst said casing, and decorative material in said casing adapted to be scattered into the atmosphere by the gas escaping upon the bursting of said casing.

HAROLD S. BARNES. 

